Jones died on Friday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville after being hospitalised with fever and irregular blood pressure, according to his publicist Kirt Webster.
With one of the most golden voices of any genre, a clenched, precise, profoundly expressive baritone, Jones had No. 1 songs in five separate decades, 1950s to 1990s. He was idolised not just by fellow country artists, but by Frank Sinatra, Pete Townshend, Elvis Costello, James Taylor and countless others.
"If we all could sound like we wanted to, we'd all sound like George Jones," Waylon Jennings once sang.
In a career that lasted more than 50 years, Jones, affectionately known as "Possum", evolved from young honky-tonker to elder statesman as he recorded more than 150 albums and became the champion and symbol of traditional country music, a well-lined link to his hero, Hank Williams.
Jones survived long battles with alcoholism and drug addiction, brawls, accidents and close encounters with death, including bypass surgery and a tour bus crash that he only avoided by deciding at the last moment to take a plane.
His failure to appear for concerts left him with the nickname No Show Jones, and he later recorded a song by that name and often opened his shows by singing it. His wild life was revealed in song and in his handsome, troubled face, with its dark, deep-set eyes and dimpled chin.
In song, he was rowdy and regretful, tender and tragic. His hits included the sentimental Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes, the foot-tapping The Race is On, the foot-stomping I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair, the melancholy She Thinks I Still Care, the rockin' White Lightning, and the barfly lament Still Doing Time.
Jones also recorded several duets with Tammy Wynette, his wife for six years, including Golden Ring, Near You, Southern California and We're Gonna Hold On. He also sang with such peers as Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard and with Costello and other rock performers.
But his signature song was He Stopped Loving Her Today, a weeper among weepers about a man who carries his love for a woman to his grave. The 1980 ballad, which Jones was sure would never be a hit, often appears on surveys as the most popular country song of all time.
Jones won Grammy awards in 1981 for He Stopped Loving Her Today and in 1999 for Choices. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992 and in 2008 was among the artists honoured in Washington at the Kennedy Center.
He continued to make appearances and put out records, though his hit records declined.
"I don't want to completely quit because I don't know what to do with myself," he said in 2005.
Jones was a purist who lamented the transformation of country music from the family feelling of the 1950s to the hit factory of the early 21st century.
Asked about what he thought about Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and other young stars, Jones said they were good but they weren't making traditional country music.
"What they need to do really, I think, is find their own title," he said.
Jones was born on September 12, 1931, in a log house near the east Texas town of Saratoga, the youngest of eight children. He sang in church and at age 11 began performing for tips on the streets of Beaumont, Texas.
Jones was married four times. He had four children from his first three marriages. His daughter with country singer Tammy Wynette, Georgette Jones, became a country singer and even played her mother in the 2008 TV series Sordid Lives.
2013年4月26日星期五
who could have been an accountant or a bus driver
The 704th Military Intelligence Brigade recognized National Denim Day, April 24, in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness month. Soldiers and civilians wore denim jeans as their duty uniform for the day in support of survivors of sexual assault. Who would have ever thought that females wearing jeans 13 years ago would be so significant, that we now recognize National Denim Day.
"Today we pause for a few minutes as a unit to raise awareness and to acknowledge this issue in our society, said Col. Anthony R. Hale, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade commander.
Denim Day came about as a result of a rape that occurred in Italy. An 18-year-old woman hired a driving instructor who drove her to an isolated area in the country, and then attacked her.
He wrestled with her until he got one of her legs out of her jeans, raped her, and then forced her to drive back to town. The case made it to Italy’s Supreme Court where the judge concluded that because the victim had on tight jeans, she must have helped the perpetrator take her pants off and therefore it was not rape, it was consensual sex. The case was thrown out of court.
“Sexual Assault awareness is pertinent to our mission” said Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Hill, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade victim advocate. “It is important for our soldiers to know that if an issue arises, the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade Sexual Assault Prevention Team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist.”
The recognition of victims of sexual assault didn't stop with just wearing denim jeans. The brigade held a formation at the post parade field to further stress the significance of preventing sexual assault.
Following Hale’s opening remarks the soldiers and civilians walked one lap around the parade field to symbolize walking a mile in the shoes of a victim of sexual assault.
The theme for this year’s Denim Day was "Let’s talk about it." Upon completing the one mile walk around the parade field that's exactly what the 704th did. In a horseshoe formation, Hale anonymously recognized 12 soldiers that were victims of sexual assault at Fort Meade this year. The soldiers were symbolized by a pair of combat boots being placed on the sole survivor table in the center of the formation.
The ceremony concluded with the brigade forming a human ribbon to symbolize we’re all in this together. The brigade raised nearly $400 to contribute to Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
I’m just antique enough to remember when Jonathan first hit. Or at least for me. It was the Jack Paar “Tonight Show” and no one had ever seen anything remotely like it.
A slightly chubby, amiable, Midwesternly looking man who could have been an accountant or a bus driver, nicely dressed in dark suit and tie, stepped out, a bit timorously, from behind the curtain and, on the spot and before our eyes, created a whole mad little world.
There were sudden, instant changes of character, gender and manner, each with a new face, a different voice, even different physique, it seemed.
Make that lightning character changes, switching in less than an eye wink from an old person to a juvenile, from tough drill sergeant to mincing hairdresser, from adult human to feisty feline, from bumpkin to society type to rube to sophisticate; from iron-jawed right winger to gelatinous liberal, from adult to child to repellently cute baby; each change so fast and total it was as if frames had been cut from a film.
Here was originality personified. And unprecedented.
Never had a comic done anything remotely like this. Jonathan was born full-blown from the head of no one. He was in no known comic tradition. No familiar style. No pre-existing category of humor. He stood on no predecessors’ shoulders.
Here, suddenly, was a comedian who never told a joke.
Into the world of humor a new planet had been born.
Later, when working for Paar, I loved watching Jonathan backstage at the show, near airtime and still trying to decide what he was going to come on as that night: A drunken kitty cat? The queen of the Vikings? A doorknob?
One night, probing in the costume room, he had found a sort of wraparound turban-shaped piece of headgear, helmet-size and seemingly made of dark, fresh earth with twigs and sprigs of little plants protruding. Jack didn’t know what was about to hit him.
Jonathan daintily flounced into the chair beside an astonished Jack and announced, giggling and crinkling up his eyes, “I’m the Spirit of Spring!”
"Today we pause for a few minutes as a unit to raise awareness and to acknowledge this issue in our society, said Col. Anthony R. Hale, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade commander.
Denim Day came about as a result of a rape that occurred in Italy. An 18-year-old woman hired a driving instructor who drove her to an isolated area in the country, and then attacked her.
He wrestled with her until he got one of her legs out of her jeans, raped her, and then forced her to drive back to town. The case made it to Italy’s Supreme Court where the judge concluded that because the victim had on tight jeans, she must have helped the perpetrator take her pants off and therefore it was not rape, it was consensual sex. The case was thrown out of court.
“Sexual Assault awareness is pertinent to our mission” said Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Hill, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade victim advocate. “It is important for our soldiers to know that if an issue arises, the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade Sexual Assault Prevention Team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist.”
The recognition of victims of sexual assault didn't stop with just wearing denim jeans. The brigade held a formation at the post parade field to further stress the significance of preventing sexual assault.
Following Hale’s opening remarks the soldiers and civilians walked one lap around the parade field to symbolize walking a mile in the shoes of a victim of sexual assault.
The theme for this year’s Denim Day was "Let’s talk about it." Upon completing the one mile walk around the parade field that's exactly what the 704th did. In a horseshoe formation, Hale anonymously recognized 12 soldiers that were victims of sexual assault at Fort Meade this year. The soldiers were symbolized by a pair of combat boots being placed on the sole survivor table in the center of the formation.
The ceremony concluded with the brigade forming a human ribbon to symbolize we’re all in this together. The brigade raised nearly $400 to contribute to Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
I’m just antique enough to remember when Jonathan first hit. Or at least for me. It was the Jack Paar “Tonight Show” and no one had ever seen anything remotely like it.
A slightly chubby, amiable, Midwesternly looking man who could have been an accountant or a bus driver, nicely dressed in dark suit and tie, stepped out, a bit timorously, from behind the curtain and, on the spot and before our eyes, created a whole mad little world.
There were sudden, instant changes of character, gender and manner, each with a new face, a different voice, even different physique, it seemed.
Make that lightning character changes, switching in less than an eye wink from an old person to a juvenile, from tough drill sergeant to mincing hairdresser, from adult human to feisty feline, from bumpkin to society type to rube to sophisticate; from iron-jawed right winger to gelatinous liberal, from adult to child to repellently cute baby; each change so fast and total it was as if frames had been cut from a film.
Here was originality personified. And unprecedented.
Never had a comic done anything remotely like this. Jonathan was born full-blown from the head of no one. He was in no known comic tradition. No familiar style. No pre-existing category of humor. He stood on no predecessors’ shoulders.
Here, suddenly, was a comedian who never told a joke.
Into the world of humor a new planet had been born.
Later, when working for Paar, I loved watching Jonathan backstage at the show, near airtime and still trying to decide what he was going to come on as that night: A drunken kitty cat? The queen of the Vikings? A doorknob?
One night, probing in the costume room, he had found a sort of wraparound turban-shaped piece of headgear, helmet-size and seemingly made of dark, fresh earth with twigs and sprigs of little plants protruding. Jack didn’t know what was about to hit him.
Jonathan daintily flounced into the chair beside an astonished Jack and announced, giggling and crinkling up his eyes, “I’m the Spirit of Spring!”
2013年4月24日星期三
when models stepped out on spring runways
madman, sadist--but don't call him a quitter. As a mountain runner and endurance coach, Orton has finished countless races, from the high-altitude, 100-mile Grand Targhee Ultra Marathon to a 50-miler alongside the legendary Tarahumara runners in Mexico's remote Copper Canyon. Yet as strong as he is, the pain he experienced when running became nearly too much to bear. "I almost gave up running because I couldn't wear shoes," says Orton, who lives in Jackson Hole, Wyo.
The problem--for Orton and a growing legion of runners--was the modern running shoe. After Orton coached journalist Christopher McDougall for the Copper Canyon race in 2006, an experience detailed in the bestselling book Born to Run, the minimalist running-shoe category was born. McDougall's story shed light on the concept of barefoot-style running by documenting a race against the area's native people, who had astounding endurance and ran injury-free in handmade sandals.
By evolving to fit what Orton calls "built-up" shoes, modern runners have developed poor mechanics, causing them to sustain injuries. "All the aches and pains that we feel as runners--that people were brainwashed into thinking were normal for people who run a lot--don't have to be the case," Orton says. "As I ran in more basic shoes, my body started feeling better."
Born to Run's worldwide success sent runners flocking to Orton, all looking for the secret to running pain-free. "I went from needing to help 30 people to needing to help thousands," he says. Then, Ironman triathlete Eric Swartz called with a plan: team up and build a wholly new running shoe that helps athletes transition to running properly. "I told him this needed to be much more than a shoe," Orton says. "It needed to be a training system and a way to help people put it all together."
In 2010 the pair formed B2R, an Atlanta-based shoe company that combines footwear with strength training, running programs and nutrition drinks. But rather than sprint to market, B2R developed its shoe slowly, watching as competitors rushed to cash in on the trend. "I wanted a shoe that I wanted to run in--and a majority of true runners would want to run in--without it feeling or looking weird," Orton says.
Launched last summer via Orton's Facebook page and fan site, B2R's shoes have slowly been trickling onto feet around the world. "I was surprised to see orders coming in [to the website] from everywhere the first week after we went online," Orton says. But ask him whether he now considers himself a shoe guy or an endurance coach, he'll quickly respond: "Coach. I want people to understand how great running correctly feels."
If the men’s department is ruled by revenge of the nerds (horn rims, bow ties), women’s fashion can look surprisingly like (dare we say?) the triumph of frump. Dowager classics like frame handbags, cardies and costume jewelry are the height of chic — and now comes the low block heel.
Yet when models stepped out on spring runways at Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, their low heels looked unexpectedly right — and miraculously wearable. At Marc Jacobs, the pumps and sling-backs had round block heels and a pointy toe; at Louis Vuitton, they had short slim-line heels and an even pointier toe. Other houses got in on the act, including Miu Miu, with chunky crystal heels, and Dries Van Noten, who showed a gilded ball heel. But the breakout hit of the season is Nicholas Kirkwood’s triangular stepped-heel pump. (Shown here in blush patent leather, it also comes in a bright water snake and a zigzig pattern that made it into all the fashion books.)
In designing his lovely new heel, Mr. Kirkwood said that he tried to do something that would be a real fashion item, not just a lower version of a high heel. “It’s a way to get that height that women want without being so mumsy,” he said.
The problem--for Orton and a growing legion of runners--was the modern running shoe. After Orton coached journalist Christopher McDougall for the Copper Canyon race in 2006, an experience detailed in the bestselling book Born to Run, the minimalist running-shoe category was born. McDougall's story shed light on the concept of barefoot-style running by documenting a race against the area's native people, who had astounding endurance and ran injury-free in handmade sandals.
By evolving to fit what Orton calls "built-up" shoes, modern runners have developed poor mechanics, causing them to sustain injuries. "All the aches and pains that we feel as runners--that people were brainwashed into thinking were normal for people who run a lot--don't have to be the case," Orton says. "As I ran in more basic shoes, my body started feeling better."
Born to Run's worldwide success sent runners flocking to Orton, all looking for the secret to running pain-free. "I went from needing to help 30 people to needing to help thousands," he says. Then, Ironman triathlete Eric Swartz called with a plan: team up and build a wholly new running shoe that helps athletes transition to running properly. "I told him this needed to be much more than a shoe," Orton says. "It needed to be a training system and a way to help people put it all together."
In 2010 the pair formed B2R, an Atlanta-based shoe company that combines footwear with strength training, running programs and nutrition drinks. But rather than sprint to market, B2R developed its shoe slowly, watching as competitors rushed to cash in on the trend. "I wanted a shoe that I wanted to run in--and a majority of true runners would want to run in--without it feeling or looking weird," Orton says.
Launched last summer via Orton's Facebook page and fan site, B2R's shoes have slowly been trickling onto feet around the world. "I was surprised to see orders coming in [to the website] from everywhere the first week after we went online," Orton says. But ask him whether he now considers himself a shoe guy or an endurance coach, he'll quickly respond: "Coach. I want people to understand how great running correctly feels."
If the men’s department is ruled by revenge of the nerds (horn rims, bow ties), women’s fashion can look surprisingly like (dare we say?) the triumph of frump. Dowager classics like frame handbags, cardies and costume jewelry are the height of chic — and now comes the low block heel.
Yet when models stepped out on spring runways at Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, their low heels looked unexpectedly right — and miraculously wearable. At Marc Jacobs, the pumps and sling-backs had round block heels and a pointy toe; at Louis Vuitton, they had short slim-line heels and an even pointier toe. Other houses got in on the act, including Miu Miu, with chunky crystal heels, and Dries Van Noten, who showed a gilded ball heel. But the breakout hit of the season is Nicholas Kirkwood’s triangular stepped-heel pump. (Shown here in blush patent leather, it also comes in a bright water snake and a zigzig pattern that made it into all the fashion books.)
In designing his lovely new heel, Mr. Kirkwood said that he tried to do something that would be a real fashion item, not just a lower version of a high heel. “It’s a way to get that height that women want without being so mumsy,” he said.
Bette Midler gets to make fun of Hollywood
Appearing on Broadway for the first time in 30 years, Bette Midler doesn't stand up to greet her audience. She chooses to remain reclined.
"I'm not getting up," she says by way of warning. "It's my house, you get up. Only don't. I just had the carpet cleaned."
You mustn't take any offense. Midler is playing the wondrously snooty super talent agent Sue Mengers in a one-woman show that opened Wednesday at the Booth Theatre.
Even if you have no idea who Mengers is, an evening with Midler is always special and her apparent joy in playing this role makes it even more so. In "I'll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers," Midler swears a blue streak, makes vicious fun of Hollywood and never has to stand up.
Set in 1981 and written by John Logan, the work is a straightforward biography of the rise of a chubby Jewish girl with a heavy German accent who grew up in New York and turned herself into a mover and shaker in Hollywood.
Her clients included Candice Bergen, Mike Nichols, Michael Caine, George Segal, Dyan Cannon, Bob Fosse, Sidney Lumet, Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd, Ryan O'Neal, Rod Steiger, Peter Bogdanovich and Gore Vidal, among others.
As she freely admits, Mengers, who died in 2011, landed clients by threats, deception, cajoling, promises, guilt and doggedness – anything, really.
"We're all headhunters in my business. Every star's a potential client and if I don't steal them, someone else will," she says. "I was persuasive, I was funny. Most of all, I was ferocious. To me `no' always meant `maybe.'"
Over 85 minutes, Midler – rarely letting a manicured foot hit her carpet – lies on her elegant couch – speaks to the audience, gossiping furiously as she waits for a call from Barbra Streisand.
Joe Mantello directs with something of a challenge: A seasoned pro in Midler and yet a character who doesn't really move off the couch. So he expertly paces the whole thing like an audience with a blousy, foul-mouthed queen.
Midler wears oversized, tinted glasses and constantly scrapes at her silky straight bob, colored a heavenly hue only the rich can get away with. She's wearing an aqua caftan with sparkly embellishments and alternates smoking a cigarette and a joint, sometimes having both lit at the same time.
This warning appears on the curtain as the audience files in: "This play contains profanity, smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, and gossip." Here's another warning: Know who Michael Ovitz is.
Logan and Midler have tried to re-create the essence of Mengers and that means a familiarity with distant celebs like James Coco and agents like Ovitz is mandatory. Gossip isn't gossip unless you know the players, darling.
Logan, a Tony winner for "Red," has woven his monologue well and the transitions are seamless. Stories about Ali MacGraw and Gene Hackman take up larger sections, with the obligatory detour into Mengers' childhood tucked in.
The script works best when Midler is lecturing us about how the business of show really works, particularly her "Five Golden Rules," including Never Blow a Deal on Money.
"I'm not getting up," she says by way of warning. "It's my house, you get up. Only don't. I just had the carpet cleaned."
You mustn't take any offense. Midler is playing the wondrously snooty super talent agent Sue Mengers in a one-woman show that opened Wednesday at the Booth Theatre.
Even if you have no idea who Mengers is, an evening with Midler is always special and her apparent joy in playing this role makes it even more so. In "I'll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers," Midler swears a blue streak, makes vicious fun of Hollywood and never has to stand up.
Set in 1981 and written by John Logan, the work is a straightforward biography of the rise of a chubby Jewish girl with a heavy German accent who grew up in New York and turned herself into a mover and shaker in Hollywood.
Her clients included Candice Bergen, Mike Nichols, Michael Caine, George Segal, Dyan Cannon, Bob Fosse, Sidney Lumet, Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd, Ryan O'Neal, Rod Steiger, Peter Bogdanovich and Gore Vidal, among others.
As she freely admits, Mengers, who died in 2011, landed clients by threats, deception, cajoling, promises, guilt and doggedness – anything, really.
"We're all headhunters in my business. Every star's a potential client and if I don't steal them, someone else will," she says. "I was persuasive, I was funny. Most of all, I was ferocious. To me `no' always meant `maybe.'"
Over 85 minutes, Midler – rarely letting a manicured foot hit her carpet – lies on her elegant couch – speaks to the audience, gossiping furiously as she waits for a call from Barbra Streisand.
Joe Mantello directs with something of a challenge: A seasoned pro in Midler and yet a character who doesn't really move off the couch. So he expertly paces the whole thing like an audience with a blousy, foul-mouthed queen.
Midler wears oversized, tinted glasses and constantly scrapes at her silky straight bob, colored a heavenly hue only the rich can get away with. She's wearing an aqua caftan with sparkly embellishments and alternates smoking a cigarette and a joint, sometimes having both lit at the same time.
This warning appears on the curtain as the audience files in: "This play contains profanity, smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, and gossip." Here's another warning: Know who Michael Ovitz is.
Logan and Midler have tried to re-create the essence of Mengers and that means a familiarity with distant celebs like James Coco and agents like Ovitz is mandatory. Gossip isn't gossip unless you know the players, darling.
Logan, a Tony winner for "Red," has woven his monologue well and the transitions are seamless. Stories about Ali MacGraw and Gene Hackman take up larger sections, with the obligatory detour into Mengers' childhood tucked in.
The script works best when Midler is lecturing us about how the business of show really works, particularly her "Five Golden Rules," including Never Blow a Deal on Money.
2013年4月22日星期一
what the group of college students
Thomas Willauer, a student in Elon University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, had run the Boston Marathon the past four years, and only missed this year’s race because of a school conflict. He said the bombings had the opposite effect of scaring him away.
“Now I really want to go up and do it next year,” said Willauer, who’s already qualified for the race.
He and a few of his classmates in the doctoral program were also inspired by their professor’s close call. Sarah Talley, a physical therapy education adjunct instructor at Elon, had crossed the finish line 20 minutes before the bombs went off, said Willauer.
Betsy O’Leary, also in the doctoral program, has family in Winchester and the surrounding Boston area. She said she was keeping track of the news from the moment the bombs went off until Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was captured. “I did not leave the TV all day,” said O’Leary.
She and classmate Jamie Kuenzel added they were impressed by the quick thinking and reactions of those in the medical field.
“Everybody banded together, doctors who were running,” said Kuenzel. “I have two friends that were at the finish line, working (with) the medical staff,” said O’Leary, explaining they were in the University of New Hampshire’s Athletic Training program.
Now O’Leary, a runner herself, wants to work at future Boston Marathon medical tents. Kuenzel added that it’s important for them, as students in the sports and medical fields, to be aware of such events and learn how to respond to such trauma. “A lot of people lost limbs. Their lives have changed, medically,” she said.
And it was because of those lost limbs, and lost lives, that more than 100 runners, joggers, walkers and supporters gathered from Mebane, Elon, Burlington and elsewhere to participate in Monday night’s event.
“Tonight we run for those who can’t,” said Treadwell to the group that gathered outside Thataways Youth Center on Monday. Beside her, Wintringham rang a bell for each of the three people who died in the bombings.
Treadwell pulled her daughter close to her and said that at the end of every race, “She runs the last 100 yards with me. This is my family. This was personal.”
Pastor Tim Riddle of St. Marks Church in Burlington held a moment of remembrance, said a prayer and said, “Tonight let’s run, let’s walk, for hope.”
And that’s exactly what the group of college students, marathon runners, casual runners, and families with kids strapped into jogging strollers did.
Brightly colored running shoes hit City Park’s one-mile loop and into downtown for the 3.5- and 5-mile loops. Boston Red Sox hats bobbed up and down the hills of Main Street, and cars honked at the line of runners along South Church Street.
“One thing that this showed us is that in times of need, in times of crisis, we all come together,” said Treadwell. “And here we are.”
“Now I really want to go up and do it next year,” said Willauer, who’s already qualified for the race.
He and a few of his classmates in the doctoral program were also inspired by their professor’s close call. Sarah Talley, a physical therapy education adjunct instructor at Elon, had crossed the finish line 20 minutes before the bombs went off, said Willauer.
Betsy O’Leary, also in the doctoral program, has family in Winchester and the surrounding Boston area. She said she was keeping track of the news from the moment the bombs went off until Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was captured. “I did not leave the TV all day,” said O’Leary.
She and classmate Jamie Kuenzel added they were impressed by the quick thinking and reactions of those in the medical field.
“Everybody banded together, doctors who were running,” said Kuenzel. “I have two friends that were at the finish line, working (with) the medical staff,” said O’Leary, explaining they were in the University of New Hampshire’s Athletic Training program.
Now O’Leary, a runner herself, wants to work at future Boston Marathon medical tents. Kuenzel added that it’s important for them, as students in the sports and medical fields, to be aware of such events and learn how to respond to such trauma. “A lot of people lost limbs. Their lives have changed, medically,” she said.
And it was because of those lost limbs, and lost lives, that more than 100 runners, joggers, walkers and supporters gathered from Mebane, Elon, Burlington and elsewhere to participate in Monday night’s event.
“Tonight we run for those who can’t,” said Treadwell to the group that gathered outside Thataways Youth Center on Monday. Beside her, Wintringham rang a bell for each of the three people who died in the bombings.
Treadwell pulled her daughter close to her and said that at the end of every race, “She runs the last 100 yards with me. This is my family. This was personal.”
Pastor Tim Riddle of St. Marks Church in Burlington held a moment of remembrance, said a prayer and said, “Tonight let’s run, let’s walk, for hope.”
And that’s exactly what the group of college students, marathon runners, casual runners, and families with kids strapped into jogging strollers did.
Brightly colored running shoes hit City Park’s one-mile loop and into downtown for the 3.5- and 5-mile loops. Boston Red Sox hats bobbed up and down the hills of Main Street, and cars honked at the line of runners along South Church Street.
“One thing that this showed us is that in times of need, in times of crisis, we all come together,” said Treadwell. “And here we are.”
The practice was huge in the UK last Christmas
Suddenly physical is fashionable. Where not so long ago, pundits were predicting the death of bricks and mortar retail, now it’s de rigueur to have a physical retail presence.
Many online retailers are talking about setting up shop.
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, said in a C-Net interview late last year that he would “love to” open retail stores, but only if he can find a uniquely Amazon way of doing it. Earlier this year the Wall Street Journal reported that Google too is working on launching its own shops.
There are numerous other examples. US men’s online apparel store Bonobos has set up a number of ‘guideshops’ that allow customers to try the gear on, but not take it home then and there. The idea is that you book an appointment in store with a personal guide, who helps you select outfits that work for you. If you’re happy with your choices, you order from the website and Bonobos ships free.
In Australia, we’ve seen customised footwear e-tailer, Shoes of Prey, launch its first physical store inside David Jones in Sydney. As Shoes of Prey CEO, Michael Fox, told Inside Retail, “while the brand has experienced strong growth over the last three years online, two key opportunities identified were allowing customers to see, touch and try on our shoes.”
How about that? Brilliant! Suddenly, the most innovative thing happening in digital is to allow shoppers to experience the goods physically.
One of the reasons for the sudden interest in bricks and mortar stores by online retailers is increased conversion rates. Way back in 2011, I wrote that physical stores are far more successful at turning traffic into sales.
As I noted then, “depending upon the research source, the conversion rate for bricks and mortar stores is a minimum 20 per cent (much, much higher in the grocery category), while online is a maximum three to five per cent (and some quote far lower numbers).”
Sure ‘nuff, shoppers like to get their hands on the merchandise. And they love the social experience of shopping.
Customers also crave the immediacy of getting the goods now (that “gotta have it” feeling), rather than waiting for delivery.
That last point is a factor behind the growth of click and collect – order online and pick up in store. The practice was huge in the UK last Christmas, which is often considered to be the leading online retail nation.
One case in point stood out for me. As gathered from various media sources, about 25 per cent of UK department store John Lewis’ Christmas sales were online. And around 35 per cent of those sales were click and collect.
The trend is growing. An UK online commentator told me that up to half of many British physical retailers’ digital sales are fulfilled in a physical store. So everything old is new again. That three dimensional space filled with warm bodies and real product called a store is actually not as antiquated as we once figured.
Yes, that space might change in form and function, and it will be amplified by digital technology (to quote Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn), but as our online friends have found, bricks can beat clicks.
Many online retailers are talking about setting up shop.
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, said in a C-Net interview late last year that he would “love to” open retail stores, but only if he can find a uniquely Amazon way of doing it. Earlier this year the Wall Street Journal reported that Google too is working on launching its own shops.
There are numerous other examples. US men’s online apparel store Bonobos has set up a number of ‘guideshops’ that allow customers to try the gear on, but not take it home then and there. The idea is that you book an appointment in store with a personal guide, who helps you select outfits that work for you. If you’re happy with your choices, you order from the website and Bonobos ships free.
In Australia, we’ve seen customised footwear e-tailer, Shoes of Prey, launch its first physical store inside David Jones in Sydney. As Shoes of Prey CEO, Michael Fox, told Inside Retail, “while the brand has experienced strong growth over the last three years online, two key opportunities identified were allowing customers to see, touch and try on our shoes.”
How about that? Brilliant! Suddenly, the most innovative thing happening in digital is to allow shoppers to experience the goods physically.
One of the reasons for the sudden interest in bricks and mortar stores by online retailers is increased conversion rates. Way back in 2011, I wrote that physical stores are far more successful at turning traffic into sales.
As I noted then, “depending upon the research source, the conversion rate for bricks and mortar stores is a minimum 20 per cent (much, much higher in the grocery category), while online is a maximum three to five per cent (and some quote far lower numbers).”
Sure ‘nuff, shoppers like to get their hands on the merchandise. And they love the social experience of shopping.
Customers also crave the immediacy of getting the goods now (that “gotta have it” feeling), rather than waiting for delivery.
That last point is a factor behind the growth of click and collect – order online and pick up in store. The practice was huge in the UK last Christmas, which is often considered to be the leading online retail nation.
One case in point stood out for me. As gathered from various media sources, about 25 per cent of UK department store John Lewis’ Christmas sales were online. And around 35 per cent of those sales were click and collect.
The trend is growing. An UK online commentator told me that up to half of many British physical retailers’ digital sales are fulfilled in a physical store. So everything old is new again. That three dimensional space filled with warm bodies and real product called a store is actually not as antiquated as we once figured.
Yes, that space might change in form and function, and it will be amplified by digital technology (to quote Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn), but as our online friends have found, bricks can beat clicks.
2013年4月15日星期一
In the past three years Elwan has continued to build
Jewellery design and production has been part of Egyptian culture for as long as anyone can remember. In the last few years a lot of new designers have started to sell their pieces through social media and exhibitions, with many designs featuring traditional Arabic calligraphy.
Young designer Adam Elwan is different; he has designed a collection that is fresh, clean-lined and very beautiful, using sterling silver or 18ct gold and precious and semi-precious stones and wood. His shop, Adam Elwan Bespoke Jewellery Designs, is tucked away in a leafy Maadi street and the displays are filled with the very affordable and beautifully designed pieces.
Elwan grew up around jewellery. “My father is in the jewellery trade, he started a long time ago with a small shop on one of the boats in Aswan and now he has several shops in Sharm El-Sheikh,” he explained. Instead of simply following in his father’s footsteps Elwan spent time in Europe to learn the craft of design properly: “I studied for three years in Florence at Le Arti Orafe where I learned jewellery design and silversmithing.”
When he returned to Egypt it took him a little time to figure out what the next step would be, but once he was ready to develop his own line of jewellery he went straight to the source of craftsmanship in Cairo: the Khan El-Khalili. “I was lucky because my father had a lot of contacts with the craftsmen in the Khan,” Elwan said. “I was welcomed with open arms and the generosity they showed me was overwhelming.”
For the first two years Elwan designed bespoke jewellery for family or friends. “I enjoyed it and it gave me the opportunity to find the people I wanted to work with,” he said. “I work with the craftsmen of two families in the Khan and they are the best at what they do. It is a shame to see how little work there is with the decline in tourism. Families have worked in their crafts for generations yet these days the younger members are leaving to find work elsewhere.”
In the past three years Elwan has continued to build his collection and work closely with the craftsmen in the Khan. “I hope that in the future I will be able to expand and distribute abroad. Or maybe interest people from outside the country in having their designs produced here,” he said. “There is a wealth of craftsmanship here that is going to waste, also production costs in Egypt are very low compared to Europe.”
Elwan’s jewellery stands out with its clean lines and inventive use of material and colours. “I design all the pieces. I love colours and I love to combine them with silver and gold,” Elwan said. One of the materials he uses a lot in his designs is mother of pearl, experimenting with the variety of colours it comes in. “At the moment it is difficult to find, but I am told this is normal, it just is not the right season,” he said. “I source all materials locally and do not use anything synthetic; I admire honesty and I do not want to use dishonest materials.”
One of his favourite designs to date is a pendant in the shape of a light bulb. “I designed it at the request of a friend who wanted to give his girlfriend, Nour [meaning ‘light’], something special,” he said. It has become a favourite amongst customers as has the Kef, a simple and beautifully designed stylistic hand that stands for protection and blessing.
Besides the designs in the collection Elwan is happy to customise his work to customers’ specifications, and to create unique pieces on request.
Young designer Adam Elwan is different; he has designed a collection that is fresh, clean-lined and very beautiful, using sterling silver or 18ct gold and precious and semi-precious stones and wood. His shop, Adam Elwan Bespoke Jewellery Designs, is tucked away in a leafy Maadi street and the displays are filled with the very affordable and beautifully designed pieces.
Elwan grew up around jewellery. “My father is in the jewellery trade, he started a long time ago with a small shop on one of the boats in Aswan and now he has several shops in Sharm El-Sheikh,” he explained. Instead of simply following in his father’s footsteps Elwan spent time in Europe to learn the craft of design properly: “I studied for three years in Florence at Le Arti Orafe where I learned jewellery design and silversmithing.”
When he returned to Egypt it took him a little time to figure out what the next step would be, but once he was ready to develop his own line of jewellery he went straight to the source of craftsmanship in Cairo: the Khan El-Khalili. “I was lucky because my father had a lot of contacts with the craftsmen in the Khan,” Elwan said. “I was welcomed with open arms and the generosity they showed me was overwhelming.”
For the first two years Elwan designed bespoke jewellery for family or friends. “I enjoyed it and it gave me the opportunity to find the people I wanted to work with,” he said. “I work with the craftsmen of two families in the Khan and they are the best at what they do. It is a shame to see how little work there is with the decline in tourism. Families have worked in their crafts for generations yet these days the younger members are leaving to find work elsewhere.”
In the past three years Elwan has continued to build his collection and work closely with the craftsmen in the Khan. “I hope that in the future I will be able to expand and distribute abroad. Or maybe interest people from outside the country in having their designs produced here,” he said. “There is a wealth of craftsmanship here that is going to waste, also production costs in Egypt are very low compared to Europe.”
Elwan’s jewellery stands out with its clean lines and inventive use of material and colours. “I design all the pieces. I love colours and I love to combine them with silver and gold,” Elwan said. One of the materials he uses a lot in his designs is mother of pearl, experimenting with the variety of colours it comes in. “At the moment it is difficult to find, but I am told this is normal, it just is not the right season,” he said. “I source all materials locally and do not use anything synthetic; I admire honesty and I do not want to use dishonest materials.”
One of his favourite designs to date is a pendant in the shape of a light bulb. “I designed it at the request of a friend who wanted to give his girlfriend, Nour [meaning ‘light’], something special,” he said. It has become a favourite amongst customers as has the Kef, a simple and beautifully designed stylistic hand that stands for protection and blessing.
Besides the designs in the collection Elwan is happy to customise his work to customers’ specifications, and to create unique pieces on request.
Jewellery stocks down on falling bullion prices
The share price of jewellery manufacturers and retailers declined up to 6% on Monday amid concerns of drastic erosion in the value of inventory due to falling bullion prices in the last few days.
Goldiam International’s share ended on Monday with a decline of 5.71% at Rs 19.80.
The Industry leaders including Shree Ganesh Jewellery, C Mahendra Exports, Shrenuj & Co, Gitanjali Gems and Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri also witnessed a drastic decline in their respective share prices following falling gold and silver prices in global as well as domestic markets.
Gold price plunged 4.77% on Monday in Mumbai’s benchmark Zaveri Bazaar as stockists and retail buyers remained sideways from fresh purchase.
Standard gold closed, therefore, with a decline of Rs 1,330 at Rs 26,550 per 10 grams on Monday as against Rs 27,880 per 10 grams on Saturday. Similarly, silver fell by 7.14% or Rs 3,615 to close on Monday at Rs 46,990 a kg as against Rs 50,604 a kg on Saturday.
Stabilising rupee movement against the greenback helped gold’s repeat of global trend in India.
“While hedgers would not be impacted, small traders with unhedged quantity of gold and silver will be immensely hit with a drastic erosion in their inventory value,” said Ketan Shroff, Director of Penta Gold, a Mumbai-based bullion dealer.
Jewellers hold stocks equivalent to three months of their sales for selling through various points of sales (POS) running thereby their value in hundreds of crores. But, falling prices of gold and silver have raised fears of proportionate erosion in the value of their inventory.
Gold and silver prices declined around 6% and 9% respectively on Monday. In the last three days, however, the bullion prices fell a drastic 16% resulting into similar impact on the value of stocks jewellers hold. The trend may support diamond jewellery sales, though.
The panic selling continued in futures market as well with the near month contract on the Multi Commodity Exchange was traded with over 5% decline at Rs 26,601 per 10 grams following the similar trend in London where the yellow metal hit the near month support level of $1,385 an oz before recovering a bit to $1,407 in early afternoon trade. Near month silver contract also followed suit and fell over 8% to Rs 45,561 a kg on the MCX.
The fall in the bullion price, however, encouraged a handful of larges stockists to place fresh orders. But, unfortunately, banks and nominated agencies went out of bullion holding. According to Shroff, banks have placed new orders to suppliers with the new quantity is set to hit Indian markets in two-three days.
With the new class of buyers may be interested in entering into the market, the bullion price would normalize in India. The fall is good for a resurgence in demand ahead of Akshaya Tritiya, this year falling on May 13.
According to Gnanasekar Thiagarajan, Director, Commtrendz Research, gold broke the medium term target of $1385 on Monday setting the next support level at $1,300 an oz which is possible very soon. The sentiment has changed completely from bullish to bearish within no time. After 12 continuous year of upsurge, weakness of a year or two was imminent. The market continues to remain in panic selling mode as traders exited together on hearsay.
The confidence in gold has been severely dented given the magnitude and the forcefulness of the recent fall. Fears of a Cyprus’ 14 tonnes of gold sale and other debt ridden euro zone nations to follow the similar trend, long liquidations in ETF’s and unwinding of long positions by institutions in the international markets have contributed to the downfall, said Kishore Narne, Head of Commodities, Motilal Oswal Securities.
Goldiam International’s share ended on Monday with a decline of 5.71% at Rs 19.80.
The Industry leaders including Shree Ganesh Jewellery, C Mahendra Exports, Shrenuj & Co, Gitanjali Gems and Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri also witnessed a drastic decline in their respective share prices following falling gold and silver prices in global as well as domestic markets.
Gold price plunged 4.77% on Monday in Mumbai’s benchmark Zaveri Bazaar as stockists and retail buyers remained sideways from fresh purchase.
Standard gold closed, therefore, with a decline of Rs 1,330 at Rs 26,550 per 10 grams on Monday as against Rs 27,880 per 10 grams on Saturday. Similarly, silver fell by 7.14% or Rs 3,615 to close on Monday at Rs 46,990 a kg as against Rs 50,604 a kg on Saturday.
Stabilising rupee movement against the greenback helped gold’s repeat of global trend in India.
“While hedgers would not be impacted, small traders with unhedged quantity of gold and silver will be immensely hit with a drastic erosion in their inventory value,” said Ketan Shroff, Director of Penta Gold, a Mumbai-based bullion dealer.
Jewellers hold stocks equivalent to three months of their sales for selling through various points of sales (POS) running thereby their value in hundreds of crores. But, falling prices of gold and silver have raised fears of proportionate erosion in the value of their inventory.
Gold and silver prices declined around 6% and 9% respectively on Monday. In the last three days, however, the bullion prices fell a drastic 16% resulting into similar impact on the value of stocks jewellers hold. The trend may support diamond jewellery sales, though.
The panic selling continued in futures market as well with the near month contract on the Multi Commodity Exchange was traded with over 5% decline at Rs 26,601 per 10 grams following the similar trend in London where the yellow metal hit the near month support level of $1,385 an oz before recovering a bit to $1,407 in early afternoon trade. Near month silver contract also followed suit and fell over 8% to Rs 45,561 a kg on the MCX.
The fall in the bullion price, however, encouraged a handful of larges stockists to place fresh orders. But, unfortunately, banks and nominated agencies went out of bullion holding. According to Shroff, banks have placed new orders to suppliers with the new quantity is set to hit Indian markets in two-three days.
With the new class of buyers may be interested in entering into the market, the bullion price would normalize in India. The fall is good for a resurgence in demand ahead of Akshaya Tritiya, this year falling on May 13.
According to Gnanasekar Thiagarajan, Director, Commtrendz Research, gold broke the medium term target of $1385 on Monday setting the next support level at $1,300 an oz which is possible very soon. The sentiment has changed completely from bullish to bearish within no time. After 12 continuous year of upsurge, weakness of a year or two was imminent. The market continues to remain in panic selling mode as traders exited together on hearsay.
The confidence in gold has been severely dented given the magnitude and the forcefulness of the recent fall. Fears of a Cyprus’ 14 tonnes of gold sale and other debt ridden euro zone nations to follow the similar trend, long liquidations in ETF’s and unwinding of long positions by institutions in the international markets have contributed to the downfall, said Kishore Narne, Head of Commodities, Motilal Oswal Securities.
2013年4月9日星期二
The program is offered to qualifying home
Enbridge Gas Distribution has awarded the first $100,000 incentive to
an Ontario home builder participating in its Savings by Design program.
The program rewards qualifying builders which construct homes 25 per
cent better than the energy requirements in the 2012 Ontario Building
Code.
The program is the first of its kind in Canada and was created by Enbridge with design support from Sustainable Buildings Canada and its network of building experts. The program uses the integrated design process and energy modeling to consider energy efficiency as part of the design stage. It also promotes leading-edge storm water management techniques,Home energy management reduced water use, waste reduction and the use of materials that are non-toxic and sustainably sourced.
A post-construction audit confirms 25 per cent energy use reduction over the existing building code, and qualifying builders receive an incentive of $2,000 per house, up to a maximum of $100,000. Zancor Homes was one of the builders and developers to participate in the integrated design sessions since the program was introduced last year and is the first of those to complete a project - a development in King City, Ontario.
"We
were already building energy-efficient homes, but with the knowledge we
gained from Enbridge's Savings by Design program, we were able to take
it to the next level," says Fabrizio Cortellucci, President of Zancor
Homes. "Ultimately, this program helps us deliver long-term cost savings
and environmental benefits to our customers."
The program is offered to qualifying home builders in the more than 100 Ontario communities which Enbridge serves.
"Thanks to this unique program for residential builders and developers, the people who purchase Savings by Design homes will have a head start on energy conservation," says Mike Singleton, Executive Director of Sustainable Buildings Canada which leads and facilitates the Savings by Design sessions for Enbridge. "We're proud to help deliver a program that we hope will help set the standard for future home building in Canada."
In addition to enhancing the home's resale value, homeowners will save on their annual energy costs. Natural gas already delivers great financial value - a typical Enbridge Gas Distribution customer purchasing natural gas supply from the utility is paying about $400 less today for their total annual natural gas bill than they were five years ago.
There are also environmental benefits. "We are pleased that Enbridge and builders are showing leadership by taking a holistic approach to building energy efficiency into homes from the start," says Michael Walters, General Manager, Home electricity monitorWatershed Management, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. "The Savings by Design program goes beyond reducing energy use and identifies solutions, making it easier to support water conservation and water management."
"Savings by Design is part of a long history of energy efficiency programs that Enbridge has delivered to business and residential customers," says Shannon Bertuzzi, Enbridge Gas Distribution's Manager of Residential Sales. "We are thrilled by the enthusiasm and leadership shown in the home builder and developer community, and look forward to helping more companies build more energy-efficient homes."
The program is the first of its kind in Canada and was created by Enbridge with design support from Sustainable Buildings Canada and its network of building experts. The program uses the integrated design process and energy modeling to consider energy efficiency as part of the design stage. It also promotes leading-edge storm water management techniques,Home energy management reduced water use, waste reduction and the use of materials that are non-toxic and sustainably sourced.
A post-construction audit confirms 25 per cent energy use reduction over the existing building code, and qualifying builders receive an incentive of $2,000 per house, up to a maximum of $100,000. Zancor Homes was one of the builders and developers to participate in the integrated design sessions since the program was introduced last year and is the first of those to complete a project - a development in King City, Ontario.
"We
were already building energy-efficient homes, but with the knowledge we
gained from Enbridge's Savings by Design program, we were able to take
it to the next level," says Fabrizio Cortellucci, President of Zancor
Homes. "Ultimately, this program helps us deliver long-term cost savings
and environmental benefits to our customers."The program is offered to qualifying home builders in the more than 100 Ontario communities which Enbridge serves.
"Thanks to this unique program for residential builders and developers, the people who purchase Savings by Design homes will have a head start on energy conservation," says Mike Singleton, Executive Director of Sustainable Buildings Canada which leads and facilitates the Savings by Design sessions for Enbridge. "We're proud to help deliver a program that we hope will help set the standard for future home building in Canada."
In addition to enhancing the home's resale value, homeowners will save on their annual energy costs. Natural gas already delivers great financial value - a typical Enbridge Gas Distribution customer purchasing natural gas supply from the utility is paying about $400 less today for their total annual natural gas bill than they were five years ago.
There are also environmental benefits. "We are pleased that Enbridge and builders are showing leadership by taking a holistic approach to building energy efficiency into homes from the start," says Michael Walters, General Manager, Home electricity monitorWatershed Management, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. "The Savings by Design program goes beyond reducing energy use and identifies solutions, making it easier to support water conservation and water management."
"Savings by Design is part of a long history of energy efficiency programs that Enbridge has delivered to business and residential customers," says Shannon Bertuzzi, Enbridge Gas Distribution's Manager of Residential Sales. "We are thrilled by the enthusiasm and leadership shown in the home builder and developer community, and look forward to helping more companies build more energy-efficient homes."
Bennigan’s Opens its 2nd UAE Restaurant in Dubai Mall
one of the most iconic American restaurant brands, opened its second
location in the UAE on March 22. The chef-driven neighborhood
restaurant chain renowned for its generous portions and Irish
hospitality is now serving its unique American fare to guests in the
world-famous Dubai Mall. The newest Bennigan’s is situated along the
Dubai Fountain Promenade across from the famous Dubai Mall Waterfall.
Operated by Dynamic Hospitality, a food and beverage investment company owned by the Al Aroud Group conglomerate,In home display the newest location follows the highly successful UAE debut of the Bennigan’s brand in the Claren’s building on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard.
“We were confident that Bennigan’s would appeal to the diverse Dubai dining culture when we opened our first location in January, and our confidence has been rewarded,” said Saleh Al Aroud, Chairman of Al Aroud Group. “Business has been excellent to date, and our new location in the world’s largest mall gives us the opportunity to share our outstanding food and hospitality with a new group of guests from the UAE and around the world.”
Bennigan’s
offers a wide selection of American fare, including signature Certified
Angus Beef hand-cut to suit the guests’ preferences, as well as its
world-famous Monte Cristo, a lightly fried, triple-decker turkey, turkey
ham and cheese sandwich served with raspberry preserves. Its
customized beverage menu includes a wide variety of Mocktails,
Smoothies, Margaritas and Mojitos featuring favorites such as the Mango
Blossom, Banana Berry Bounce and the Peach on the Beach.
The Al Aroud Group is planning to open a third Bennigan’s location in the new extension of Sahara Centre in Sharjah in the summer of 2013.
“We are genuinely honored to partner with the Al Aroud Group, and we are very excited to expand our presence in the UAE,” said Bennigan’s CEO Paul Mangiamele. “Our brand is one of the fastest-growing casual dining chains in the world, and it is because of outstanding franchisees like Mr. Home energy monitor Aroud that Bennigan’s is becoming synonymous with outstanding food, service and hospitality.”
Founded in Atlanta, Georgia, USA in 1976, Bennigan’s is committed to delivering memorable dining experiences to every guest, every meal, every day. Its Legendary Irish hospitality is redefining casual dining across the United States and in locations throughout Mexico, Central America, Asia and the Middle East.
“Bennigan’s is one of the few American brands that is just as popular overseas as it is at home,” said Bennigan’s Vice President of International Operations Shawn Finn. “Our menus vary only marginally from country to country, and we are blessed to be working with model franchisees like Al Aroud Group that ‘bleed green’ and are as relentlessly focused on providing Legendary service as we are.”
Operated by Dynamic Hospitality, a food and beverage investment company owned by the Al Aroud Group conglomerate,In home display the newest location follows the highly successful UAE debut of the Bennigan’s brand in the Claren’s building on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard.
“We were confident that Bennigan’s would appeal to the diverse Dubai dining culture when we opened our first location in January, and our confidence has been rewarded,” said Saleh Al Aroud, Chairman of Al Aroud Group. “Business has been excellent to date, and our new location in the world’s largest mall gives us the opportunity to share our outstanding food and hospitality with a new group of guests from the UAE and around the world.”
Bennigan’s
offers a wide selection of American fare, including signature Certified
Angus Beef hand-cut to suit the guests’ preferences, as well as its
world-famous Monte Cristo, a lightly fried, triple-decker turkey, turkey
ham and cheese sandwich served with raspberry preserves. Its
customized beverage menu includes a wide variety of Mocktails,
Smoothies, Margaritas and Mojitos featuring favorites such as the Mango
Blossom, Banana Berry Bounce and the Peach on the Beach.The Al Aroud Group is planning to open a third Bennigan’s location in the new extension of Sahara Centre in Sharjah in the summer of 2013.
“We are genuinely honored to partner with the Al Aroud Group, and we are very excited to expand our presence in the UAE,” said Bennigan’s CEO Paul Mangiamele. “Our brand is one of the fastest-growing casual dining chains in the world, and it is because of outstanding franchisees like Mr. Home energy monitor Aroud that Bennigan’s is becoming synonymous with outstanding food, service and hospitality.”
Founded in Atlanta, Georgia, USA in 1976, Bennigan’s is committed to delivering memorable dining experiences to every guest, every meal, every day. Its Legendary Irish hospitality is redefining casual dining across the United States and in locations throughout Mexico, Central America, Asia and the Middle East.
“Bennigan’s is one of the few American brands that is just as popular overseas as it is at home,” said Bennigan’s Vice President of International Operations Shawn Finn. “Our menus vary only marginally from country to country, and we are blessed to be working with model franchisees like Al Aroud Group that ‘bleed green’ and are as relentlessly focused on providing Legendary service as we are.”
2013年4月1日星期一
Holy Week was good week for thieves in the Philippines
As expected, this year’s Holy Week too proved to be a good time for thieves in the Philippines to burgle houses and businesses, as people go home to their native provinces or travel on vacation while schools and offices were closed during the week.
Matinee idol Aljur Abrenica became one of the victims this past week as he lost cash, pieces of jewellery and high-end electronic products valued at 600,000 pesos (about Dh54,000) to robbers who entered his house.
A mainstay talent with GMA Artist Centre, the 23-year-old Abrenica, who resides at Scout Fernandez Street in Quezon City’s Barangay Sacred Heart, had gone on vacation with his family during the Lenten break.
QCPD Special Officer Jose Soriano said the actor’s house was turned upside down, with the main door locks busted and clothes, books and kitchenware scattered all over, especially on the second floor where the bedrooms are, indicating that the robbers had entered by force and left in haste.
Abrenica and his family left on Holy Wednesday and came back on Black Saturday, according to the tabloid ‘Pilipino Star Ngayon’.
The tabloid ‘Pilipino Star Ngayon’ on Monday quoted the Kamuning Station of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) as saying that robbers also took 800,000 pesos (about Dh72,000) when they entered by force a money remittance centre and a cosmetics shop, both in Metro Manila’s Quezon City.
The thieves seemed to have busied themselves looting other people’s properties in Quezon City from Wednesday to Saturday, as they also burgled the Western Union remittance centre and HBC Inc (Home of Beauty Exclusives), both at Splash Arcade on Tuayan Street and Quezon Avenue, in Barangay Tatalon.
Police Superintendent Norberto Babagay, chief of Galas Police Station, also in Quezon City, said the robberies occurred between 6pm on Friday and 6.30am on Saturday, when most houses and business establishments were closed and had no watchmen.
Police kill four drug syndicate members
Four members of a drug syndicate were killed on Sunday in an encounter with the combined team of policemen and ‘barangay tanod’ or village peace and security officers, in Manila’s Tondo district, the tabloid ‘Pilipino Star Ngahon’ said.
A barangay tanod, identified as Junrey Cabual, is now fighting for his life at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Centre after the encounter. The 35-year-old Cabual, a resident of Tondo’s Barangay 649, Zone 68, suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach.
The Manila Police District-Baseco Police Community Precinct (MPD-PCP) identified the two gang members who died as Ato Mohammad, 36, and Alvin Pilas, 19, both residents of Block 7, Lot 80, Baseco Compound, in Manila’s Port Area.
Chief Inspector Nocolas Pi?on, who led the MPD-PCP group, said police are still working on identifying the two other gang members who died in the encounter at Baseco Compound.
The police team recovered two .45-calibre and two .38-calibre pistols from the dead gang members while the rest of their companions managed to escape, according to the ‘Pilipino Star Ngayon’.
Pinon said his team went to Baseco Compound at noon on Sunday to investigate into alleged gunshots heard by residents on the night of Black Saturday when two boys, identified as Gabz Gabinete, 10, and Arnie Legato, 8, both residents of the compound, were hit by stray bullets.
He added that when he and his team arrived at a warehouse-like structure in the compound being used by the syndicate in their drug operations, the gang members opened fire immediately, prompting the cops to respond.
Police are investigating reports from the residents that there was an altercation between disgruntled members of the gang and some of their superiors that resulted in the exchange of gunfire.
Matinee idol Aljur Abrenica became one of the victims this past week as he lost cash, pieces of jewellery and high-end electronic products valued at 600,000 pesos (about Dh54,000) to robbers who entered his house.
A mainstay talent with GMA Artist Centre, the 23-year-old Abrenica, who resides at Scout Fernandez Street in Quezon City’s Barangay Sacred Heart, had gone on vacation with his family during the Lenten break.
QCPD Special Officer Jose Soriano said the actor’s house was turned upside down, with the main door locks busted and clothes, books and kitchenware scattered all over, especially on the second floor where the bedrooms are, indicating that the robbers had entered by force and left in haste.
Abrenica and his family left on Holy Wednesday and came back on Black Saturday, according to the tabloid ‘Pilipino Star Ngayon’.
The tabloid ‘Pilipino Star Ngayon’ on Monday quoted the Kamuning Station of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) as saying that robbers also took 800,000 pesos (about Dh72,000) when they entered by force a money remittance centre and a cosmetics shop, both in Metro Manila’s Quezon City.
The thieves seemed to have busied themselves looting other people’s properties in Quezon City from Wednesday to Saturday, as they also burgled the Western Union remittance centre and HBC Inc (Home of Beauty Exclusives), both at Splash Arcade on Tuayan Street and Quezon Avenue, in Barangay Tatalon.
Police Superintendent Norberto Babagay, chief of Galas Police Station, also in Quezon City, said the robberies occurred between 6pm on Friday and 6.30am on Saturday, when most houses and business establishments were closed and had no watchmen.
Police kill four drug syndicate members
Four members of a drug syndicate were killed on Sunday in an encounter with the combined team of policemen and ‘barangay tanod’ or village peace and security officers, in Manila’s Tondo district, the tabloid ‘Pilipino Star Ngahon’ said.
A barangay tanod, identified as Junrey Cabual, is now fighting for his life at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Centre after the encounter. The 35-year-old Cabual, a resident of Tondo’s Barangay 649, Zone 68, suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach.
The Manila Police District-Baseco Police Community Precinct (MPD-PCP) identified the two gang members who died as Ato Mohammad, 36, and Alvin Pilas, 19, both residents of Block 7, Lot 80, Baseco Compound, in Manila’s Port Area.
Chief Inspector Nocolas Pi?on, who led the MPD-PCP group, said police are still working on identifying the two other gang members who died in the encounter at Baseco Compound.
The police team recovered two .45-calibre and two .38-calibre pistols from the dead gang members while the rest of their companions managed to escape, according to the ‘Pilipino Star Ngayon’.
Pinon said his team went to Baseco Compound at noon on Sunday to investigate into alleged gunshots heard by residents on the night of Black Saturday when two boys, identified as Gabz Gabinete, 10, and Arnie Legato, 8, both residents of the compound, were hit by stray bullets.
He added that when he and his team arrived at a warehouse-like structure in the compound being used by the syndicate in their drug operations, the gang members opened fire immediately, prompting the cops to respond.
Police are investigating reports from the residents that there was an altercation between disgruntled members of the gang and some of their superiors that resulted in the exchange of gunfire.
The Lost Treasure and Kelli Thompson of Saltwater Jewellery
Advice on how to attract and keep customers was doled out to a lively audience last week as more than 50 people attended the Economic Empowerment Zones Agency (EEZA) seminar targeted to retailers and vendors.
The two-hour seminar provided entrepreneurs with tips and strategies to better manage their businesses from several local business owners who shared their paths to success.
Amir X of Gino Group, who also facilitated the BEDC Retail Development Programme last year, kicked off the seminar with an interactive presentation about the importance of customer service.
Amir encouraged attendees to remember: “people try to make customer service something fancy but really it’s just a day-in, day-out, simple attitude towards people. Good customer service is essential to a good business.”
Jan Quinn, owner of The Lost Treasure and Kelli Thompson of Saltwater Jewellery Design also presented on practical tips to start and manage a vending business.
Ms Quinn reviewed how vendors should determine what to sell, where to sell it and to whom to sell their products.
Ms Thompson added that the presentation of products and consistency as a vendor is also important. “If you tell your customer that you will be vending at a certain time and place, you must be there every time as consistency is key to building your business,” she said.
Tony Thompson and Tori Simons of Gibbons Company were next up to share tips on the importance of visual merchandising.
Mr Thompson’s presentation helped to break down some of the tricks that large retail stores, like Mango, use to help sell their products including, utilising creative and attractive window displays as the first way to capture a customer’s attention to get them into the store.
Mr Thompson advised attendees to focus on the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste when trying to determine how best to merchandise your store or display.
Ms. Simons offered a visual example of how to best dress a mannequin to appeal to customers. If done right, Ms Simons suggested that you can encourage customers to purchase most if not all of the items on display.
Additionally Damon Hollis of the Bermuda Police Service also presented who shared information regarding how to detect counterfeit money and what to do if you suspect that someone is intentionally trying to pass counterfeit bills.
Satellite police have rounded up a youth for the Saturday evening mishap where a car had rammed into a BRTS corridor on Iskcon-Bopal road. The youth was later granted bail for rash driving.
According to Satellite police, a car rammed into the BRTS corridor at 4.30 pm on Saturday near hotel Planet Landmark.
The car driver, trying to steer the car away, later broke into a nearby plot's boundary marked by plants. Three youths got out of the car that had turned turtle and fled. Police started a search for the car driver on the basis of the car registration number.
"The car was traced to Pranjal Patel, 25, a resident of Vastrapur having his jewellery shop near Manekbaug. As per his statement, he was returning from a function held at Bopal along with his friends Dheer Parikh and Sagar Trivedi.
The trio was returning when as per Patel's statement, the car jumped on a pit and its axle was damaged.
The car went out of control and rammed into the BRTS railing. While trying to stop its speed, the car took a sharp turn and rammed into the plot boundary," said a Satellite police official.
Talking about the liquor bottle found from the car, the investigators said that they are yet to ascertain whether the youths were drunk when the incident took place.
The two-hour seminar provided entrepreneurs with tips and strategies to better manage their businesses from several local business owners who shared their paths to success.
Amir X of Gino Group, who also facilitated the BEDC Retail Development Programme last year, kicked off the seminar with an interactive presentation about the importance of customer service.
Amir encouraged attendees to remember: “people try to make customer service something fancy but really it’s just a day-in, day-out, simple attitude towards people. Good customer service is essential to a good business.”
Jan Quinn, owner of The Lost Treasure and Kelli Thompson of Saltwater Jewellery Design also presented on practical tips to start and manage a vending business.
Ms Quinn reviewed how vendors should determine what to sell, where to sell it and to whom to sell their products.
Ms Thompson added that the presentation of products and consistency as a vendor is also important. “If you tell your customer that you will be vending at a certain time and place, you must be there every time as consistency is key to building your business,” she said.
Tony Thompson and Tori Simons of Gibbons Company were next up to share tips on the importance of visual merchandising.
Mr Thompson’s presentation helped to break down some of the tricks that large retail stores, like Mango, use to help sell their products including, utilising creative and attractive window displays as the first way to capture a customer’s attention to get them into the store.
Mr Thompson advised attendees to focus on the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste when trying to determine how best to merchandise your store or display.
Ms. Simons offered a visual example of how to best dress a mannequin to appeal to customers. If done right, Ms Simons suggested that you can encourage customers to purchase most if not all of the items on display.
Additionally Damon Hollis of the Bermuda Police Service also presented who shared information regarding how to detect counterfeit money and what to do if you suspect that someone is intentionally trying to pass counterfeit bills.
Satellite police have rounded up a youth for the Saturday evening mishap where a car had rammed into a BRTS corridor on Iskcon-Bopal road. The youth was later granted bail for rash driving.
According to Satellite police, a car rammed into the BRTS corridor at 4.30 pm on Saturday near hotel Planet Landmark.
The car driver, trying to steer the car away, later broke into a nearby plot's boundary marked by plants. Three youths got out of the car that had turned turtle and fled. Police started a search for the car driver on the basis of the car registration number.
"The car was traced to Pranjal Patel, 25, a resident of Vastrapur having his jewellery shop near Manekbaug. As per his statement, he was returning from a function held at Bopal along with his friends Dheer Parikh and Sagar Trivedi.
The trio was returning when as per Patel's statement, the car jumped on a pit and its axle was damaged.
The car went out of control and rammed into the BRTS railing. While trying to stop its speed, the car took a sharp turn and rammed into the plot boundary," said a Satellite police official.
Talking about the liquor bottle found from the car, the investigators said that they are yet to ascertain whether the youths were drunk when the incident took place.
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